"Poem"
Single byTaproot
from the albumWelcome
Released	October 14, 2002(US) December 16, 2003(UK)
Recorded	2001–2002
Genre	Nu metal[1] alternative metal[2]
Length	3:09
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Mike DeWolf,Stephen Richards, Phil Lipscomb, Jarrod Montague
Producer(s)	Toby Wright
Taproot singles chronology
"I" (2001) "Poem" (2002) "Mine" (2003)

"Poem" is a song by Americanalternative metal bandTaproot and thelead single from their secondmajor label album,Welcome. It was released in 2002 and met with the highest success of any Taproot single, reaching #5 on theBillboardMainstream Rock Tracks. The track, as well as itsmusic video, wereheavily played throughout the several months following its release.

Taproot worked withproducerToby Wright during the making ofWelcome. According tofrontman Stephen Richards: "We went into the sessions with thirty songs written and ready for pre-production, but Wright pared the thirty down to four. And he had us write fifteen more. But it was actually really great. He saw a lot of similarities between songs that we had written, a lot of one-dimensional writing, and just suggested that we take the best parts of each and cut them down and combine them and make them better. So we took some of the good old stuff and reworked into better songs, and some of the newer stuff is actually the material we're most excited about."^[3] "Poem" was one of the songs that was written before production of the album began.Guitarist Mike DeWolf elaborated:

"That's actually the first song we wrote for the album. . . We played it at the2001 Ozzfest and there was a big reaction. The kids went nuts for it even more than to our other songs that they'd heard a million times before. In production we changed little things here and there to make it stronger, but it's basically the same song."^[4]

"Poem" was performed on the December 13, 2002 edition ofLast Call with Carson Daly. The band was late due to weather troubles inChicago but treated the audience to a half-hour set.^[5] A live version of the song was included on theMusic as a Weapon II album in 2004. "Poem" was also featured on thesoundtracks for bothMVP Baseball 2003 andTrue Crime: Streets of L.A.

The popular single begins with a few sologuitar chords before breaking into a heavy introduction. The singing style continuously shifts back and forth betweenharsh and clean vocals, and itschorus lyrics reference the instructions seen onfire alarms ("In case of fire, break the glass and move on into your own").

Taproot worked with directing teamBrothers Strause, whose other work includesLinkin Park andGodsmack, on the music video for "Poem." Shooting took place on August 8 and 9 inLos Angeles with broadcasts beginning in early September 2002. The "Poem" video has Taproot performing inside a crumbling old house. A young man and woman are seen intensely kissing and groping one another amidst the chaotic destruction of the building. VocalistStephen Richards unpleasantly bears witness to the couple as he sings, giving the impression of a bitter history between them.^[6] The video cost $225,000 to produce.^[7]

• The songs "Transparent" and "Free(Succeed)" were recorded during theWelcome sessions but ultimately cut from the album. They were instead included asB-sides to the "Poem" single. "Free(Succeed)"'s lyrics however, still remain on the US pressing of "Welcome."

• Stephen Richards –vocals
• Mike DeWolf –guitar
• Phil Lipscomb –bass guitar
• Jarrod Montague –drums
• Toby Wright –producer

• "Poem" Music Video^{[dead link‍]}

• 2002 singles
• 2002 songs
• Atlantic Records singles
• Taproot (band) songs
• Songs written by Stephen Richards (musician)

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